


His Shaved Head

by Elise_Davidson



Category: Scrubs (TV)
Genre: M/M, Slow Burn, The Cancer is back, Xfer from FFnet, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-25 02:55:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9799685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elise_Davidson/pseuds/Elise_Davidson
Summary: At the end of the day, JD shaved his head again one more time.Non-canon from season 7 onward.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So, I’m still working on getting my Scrubs collection posted on Ao3. While a great deal of them still need editing and tweaking (seriously, I’m looking at something like over 50-60 fics to go over), this one was actually pretty ready.
> 
> This is non-canon from season 7 when the random episodes happen that Perry’s head is shaved, then it isn’t, then it is again.
> 
> Prompt originally given from Quaxo (mostepotente): “The cancer was back”.
> 
> Very few looksies from my usual beta, LegacySoulReaver. Any remaining mistakes are my own. My writing style was a lot different back then; no lie.
> 
> I hope it's aged well and that you enjoy ^_^

It was back. The effing cancer was _back_.

Perry glared in the mirror of the bathroom, standing shirtless and in his boxers. His skin was impeccably tanned, the freckles standing out just enough to add to the reddish-brown of his hair. He ran a hand through it, remembering the last time they'd removed a malignant bump or two and how they'd made him do chemo just in case. It had only been basal cell carcinoma that time. He'd been fucking lucky as hell, but Dr. Leventhal had insisted on chemo treatments to be safe, since his white count was still high. Some of the cells had tested with the result of the _p53_ gene being altered from the UVA rays, the little bits of DNA too mutilated to suppress cancer any longer.

So he'd shaved his head and beat the chemicals to the punch just before Jennifer's birth. He'd intended on telling Jordan after Jennifer was safely delivered, after everything had settled…but then Laverne had died, and everyone was inconsolable.

He'd almost told JD at one point, just because he wanted to tell _someone_. But he ended up keeping it to himself, and made sure that when he tanned, it was with a medium-SPF sunscreen that blocked UVA/UVB rays.

This time, however, it wasn't just basic basal cell carcinoma. He wasn't even lucky for it to be squamous cell carcinoma. No, it was fucking _melanoma_.

_Resistant to chemotherapy, highly metastatic. Accounts for approximately 5% of all skin cancers. Often appears spontaneously, though one-third develop from preexisting moles. Metastasizes first to lymph and blood vessels._

The words sounded ugly in Perry's head, reciting and terrible, still ringing as he'd remembered them from med school. He pulled the hem of his boxers down, glaring at the ugly patch of brown, tough skin that showed the cancer.

Dr. Leventhal had scheduled him immediately for removal of it and the one on his shoulder blade, following up with immunotherapy to immunize his body against the cancer cells, but the man hadn't sounded optimistic. Melanoma was highly metastatic, the doctor had pointed out, and as soon as he knew from the hematopathologist, he'd let Perry know how far gone it was.

Perry glared at the mirror again. He was a fucking doctor for christ's sake. Things like this didn't happen to doctors, especially ones as good as he. He knew what the sun did to skin, to DNA, to the delicate genes stranding together to keep the body free of tumors.

It hadn't stopped the fucking cancer from coming back to him. He felt tired and weary, as if he could almost feel his body breaking down as the mutated cells multiplied and reproduced in his body. He knew the average time for cell meiosis and mitosis was actually quite long, and so he knew it was physically impossible for his brain to acknowledge the cell reproduction.

It didn't stop him from picking up the trimmers and razor with a resigned sigh. He loved his hair; it had taken forever to grow back. He ran his fingers through the curls and ignored the buzz against his scalp as he began.

His head shone under the harsh fluorescent light, paler than the rest of his body, and he couldn't fight down the automatic urge to get that part of himself tanned as well. He didn't even have anyone to talk about it to this time. He knew eventually, he'd have to make accommodations and choices.

Dr. Zeltzer had already told him that he should think about making some calls to a lawyer.

Perry sighed and ran a hand over his smooth head again. He proceeded to clean up the reddish-brown curls that littered the bathroom so Jordan wouldn't see when she got home. He'd be damned if he dumped this on her right now, not when Jennifer was getting ready to start kindergarten.

It smacked him hard then, that he probably wouldn't live to see the kids grow up. His gut clenched horribly, and Perry struggled it down as he mechanically cleaned up and took the trash out when he was done.

He passed the mirror in the living room on his way out, and scowled at his reflection. He supposed he needed to get used to seeing that bald head again.

XXXXXXXXX

JD ended up finding out first, because he was pursuing a fellowship in oncology after all. He'd come back to the medical school for good again to work with Dr. Leventhal, who, for all of his awkward looks, was a damn good oncologist. He was also looking to pass on his oncology practice as well.

Perry had been receiving chemo, and JD had come in to check on the chemo outpatients, and his jaw had slackened when he'd seen Perry hooked up to the toxic chemicals.

They'd spoken quietly, with JD talking more than Perry. Questions were asked, answered and let go. Finally, they sat quietly, and Perry had thrown a careless remark to JD if he were going to shave his head again to go that extra mile.

JD had snorted, but hadn't said anything to that. Instead, he'd patted his arm (earning a glare from Perry), told him maybe his prognosis would change with the addition of radiation and immunotherapy, and had left the room.

Still, when Perry showed up for his next treatment of chemicals, his heart felt a bit lighter when JD came in to check on him, and the younger man's head shone brighter than his own. Perry had quirked a grin at him, leaning back as the chemicals turned his blood to fire.

His white count was higher, JD had told him, and settled down to talk about his prognosis. He asked if Jordan or the kids knew.

They did, Perry had responded dumbly; he'd sent them away until he was either better or knew for a fact he was going to bite the big one.

JD had given a non-committal answer, knowing better than to tell any patient if their prognosis was good or not. Instead, he leaned his bald head against the chair, stretching his legs onto the arm of Perry's chair, settling in for the long haul.

He wouldn't give up if Perry promised to fight, JD finally said in that quiet, sad voice of his that always made Perry feel like he'd kicked a puppy.

Except this time, Perry was the damn puppy, and sure shooting, he'd kicked himself by tanning his skin to cancerous proportions.

But Perry said nothing, and was glad for the company. He looked at JD's skull, and then tilted his head back again, settling his IV-stuck arm over JD's legs without another word. JD had raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

It'll get better, JD said in that tone again, and pulled out an oncology text to study while Perry received his medication.

Perry wasn't sure he believed him as his blood sang howling choruses against the medication, his stomach already churning in rebellion. Maybe he wanted to believe JD just a little, some part of him absolutely terrified to die. He couldn't lose his kids, couldn't lose Jordan, couldn't even bear the thought of losing the hospital.

As JD's legs twitched slightly under his arm, Perry quietly admitted in his own head that he didn't want to lose the people he'd met along the way either, and leaned back again to fall asleep as the chemo dripped into his veins.

Once asleep, JD watched him carefully and slid his chart from his book to survey the numbers. They weren't good. But they weren't nearly as terrible as they had been when he'd first come in. He settled instead for preparing for the worst, which was intolerable. It made him feel as sick as the patient currently vomiting across the room must've been feeling.

So JD simply hoped that the drugs would do their work, and Perry would be just stubborn enough to say “ _fuck you_ ” to melanoma before it said “ _fuck you_ ” to any other major organ system. Exhaustion crept to the sides of his vision, and his head bobbed.

JD glanced at his watch, and decided that five was late enough for him to call it quits for the day. So gradually, his head nodded and bobbed to his shoulder before he fell asleep, quietly begging in his head for Perry to not give up, to not let this beat him.

When JD startled awake, it was because Perry was slowly moving around, hand trying to find an emesis basin. JD shoved one into his hands, rubbing his neck and back as he threw up violently. He prepped a cup of ice chips quickly that he offered in silence when Perry had finished vomiting.

Perry took it gratefully, suckling on the chunks of ice. He glared at JD, eyes already asking why he was even still there.

JD shrugged and sat back again. He wasn't going to leave and Perry should just be damn grateful for the company. It was more than most chemo patients got, and if he had anything else to say about it, JD threatened to admit Perry for the night because of the violence of his vomiting.

XXXXXXXXXX

Helping him back to his hospital bed, Perry snapped at JD that he damn well didn't need this much help, but JD only persisted, making sure the IV didn't jar or infiltrate as Perry sat down on the bed, out of energy and out of breath. He'd dropped weight, naturally, and his skin was fading to a sickly pallor.

JD's hair had started to grow back in a thick, dark brown fuzz, but he'd shaved it again this morning since Perry's hadn't grown back yet either.

He didn't have to keep doing that, Perry had muttered, but JD had just shrugged and pulled out a game of monopoly to keep him busy.

And it worked. Perry was asleep before he knew it, and didn't see as JD leaned over to clean up the game, a hand passing over his face quickly.

Don't give up, JD muttered. Perry was a stubborn bastard; he ought to be able to kick this crap to the floor. It was just taking longer than normal. JD finished cleaning up the monopoly game, and settled into the chair for the night.

When the morning came, Jordan entered with Jack and Jennifer, who scrambled over Perry's bed to see their father. Jordan's face looked tight and upset, but JD didn't stick around to listen. Jennifer and Jack came out about ten minutes later, and JD kept them busy until Jordan emerged with reddish eyes and a fierce scowl on her face.

He's asking for you, Jordan muttered to JD, and whisked Jennifer and Jack away.

JD entered the room quizzically and sat down with Perry, who said nothing to him. JD finally asked a minute later if he needed him, and Perry shook his head no.

JD stayed because there was something on his face that was obviously howling yes. He knew Perry's numbers still looked off, but there was still a chance for it to go into remission. And he never hesitated to point this out to Perry, who just grumbled and told him to fuck that shit in the ass.

So JD just stuck around instead, and didn't talk for a while. He'd propped his legs up on the bed again because it was more comfortable, and jumped a bit when Perry lay a hand over them. His eyes were closed, so JD wasn't sure if he was aware of it.

But when Perry's eyes slid open again and his fingers tightened over JD's leg, JD nodded to him and slipped his head to the chair again. JD seemed to understand then that Perry and Jordan had talked, had quietly discussed the quiet changes and soft touches that had been in the room between JD and Perry since Perry had re-entered the hospital to receive in-patient treatment. It was more aggressive, and gave Perry more of a chance.

So JD decided he'd take that chance. He called Elliot, said hi to the kids, and then told her he wouldn't be home that night. He hung up the phone, turned it off and remained in his chair as Perry drifted back to sleep, his fingers twitching over JD's shin.

JD leaned his head back and continued to hope. Maybe Perry would beat this. Maybe he wouldn't. Whatever the case ended up to be, JD knew things would forever be different, the randomness of the universe throwing him another curveball and demanding he keep up.

So he did and waited for the next round of chemo to come in.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written…well, hard to say, but probably back around 2006-2009. Or it could have been 2010 during a fic-a-thon with Quaxo; who can say. Okay, so it’s definitely been a while.


End file.
